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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28297401">A Christmas Snow</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/decemberdreamer/pseuds/decemberdreamer'>decemberdreamer</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Anastasia - Flaherty/Ahrens/McNally</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Anya is Sick, Anya is homeless, Christmas, Christmas Eve, F/M, Fever, Fluff, Gleb isn’t happy about that, Hurt/Comfort, I'm Bad At Tagging, One Shot, Sickfic, Snow</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-11 00:55:15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,377</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28297401</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/decemberdreamer/pseuds/decemberdreamer</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Anya is homeless and decides to go to Gleb’s flat to escape the snowstorm.<br/>Christmas one shot</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Anya | Anastasia Romanov/Gleb Vaganov</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>14</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>A Christmas Snow</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hi everyone!! The idea of this fanfic has been in my head for awhile and what better time for it to be set than Christmas! Also this is my first fanfic I’ve ever written so sorry if there’s any grammatical errors or something doesn’t make sense. Happy Holidays everyone!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Anya</p>
<p>Anya shivered violently in the cold December frost under her meager bridge. She mentally kicked herself for not preparing for winter’s arrival. The bridge had served her well enough in the warmer months, but now the colder ones had come without notice. It was also Christmas Eve. She’d wished she’d saved up enough to maybe rent a hotel room for a night to get out of the storm, but she had spent it on a Christmas present for Gleb. If she didn’t get out of this winter snow soon she would surely be sick with a fever, or even hypothermia. That wouldn’t be good considering she had a job to work. Money to earn. Streets to sweep. </p>
<p>She had to get out of the snow. She found one solution to her dilemma which was a mere last resort. Gleb’s flat. She and Gleb had been friends for almost half a year now. They found time to share tea with one another at the local tea shop, take walks, and just talk about life. She had never been to Gleb’s flat, but she knew where it was located. She may or may not have spied on Gleb walking home… never mind about that. Gleb didn’t know that Anya was homeless either. He probably thought Anya had a warm bed to sleep in every night. But here Anya was, shivering under a thin blanket, contemplating on whether to try and walk to Gleb’s flat. She decided she should. She hated to disturb him on Christmas Eve, but she would rather not die on Christmas either. She had seen people die on the streets on cold winter nights. He would help her, right? Maybe share a cup of tea at least. That’s all she needed.</p>
<p>Anya shakily got up. She felt dizzy and lightheaded. She hoped she didn’t have a fever already. She slowly started walking in the way of Gleb’s flat, through the blowing snow and frost. It seemed to be even worse outside the bridge. Worry started to flood her mind. What if Gleb wasn’t home? What if she was too weak to keep going? What if he wouldn’t let her come in? Of course he would let her come in. They were friends after all, weren’t they? </p>
<p>------------------------------------------------------------</p>
<p>                                     Gleb</p>
<p>The clock chimed 9:00. Gleb looked out the window. ‘The snow still hasn’t stopped’ Gleb thought silently. It was the first snow of the winter season, ironically on Christmas Eve, starting later than usual.  He hoped Anya had made it home alright. She seemed to be stressed on their daily afternoon walk together. About what he didn’t know. He hoped she was warm.</p>
<p>Just then he heard a sort of bump on his door. Was someone there? He carefully opened the door, scared of what he might find. What was there, scared him indeed.</p>
<p>There was Anya, collapsed on his doorstep, pale faced, covered in white snow, shaking violently.</p>
<p>“Anya!” Gleb exclaimed. “Anya, you’re freezing!”</p>
<p>Anya only looked up into his brown eyes, too weak to say anything.</p>
<p>“Anya, you must come inside this instant!” Gleb said worriedly, picking Anya up bridal style and carrying her inside. </p>
<p>Anya was unconscious now, just as Gleb had worried about. </p>
<p>He carefully laid her on his sofa, not caring about the snow the sofa was now soaked in. He quickly draped a thick blanket over her, trying to get her warm.</p>
<p>“No, no, no, Anya, please wake up” Gleb said, patting her cheeks.</p>
<p>Anya eventually stirred, opening her blue eyes to meet his brown ones.</p>
<p>“Oh Gleb, I’m so sorry!” Anya cried, embracing him.</p>
<p>“Anya, what were you doing out there? And on Christmas Eve!”</p>
<p>“I’m sorry, Gleb, but it was s-so cold out, and I was sh-shaking so hard, and I just needed to be somewhere warm,'' Anya quivered.</p>
<p>Gleb’s face turned worried and confused.</p>
<p>“Anya, are you homeless?”</p>
<p>She nodded quietly.</p>
<p>“I know I should’ve told you, Gleb, but I didn’t want you to worry” Anya said weakly.</p>
<p>Gleb felt a surge of guilt. He knew he should’ve made sure she made it home okay tonight. And now Anya probably has hypothermia because of him. And it was Christmas Eve too.</p>
<p>“It’s alright, Anya. I’m glad you came here though” Gleb smiled weakly. “You surely would’ve caught your death out there.”</p>
<p>Gleb grabbed another blanket from the armchair and wrapped it around her. She was still shaking and he was still worried.</p>
<p>“Here’s the deal” Gleb said. “You can spend the night here, and take a hot bath and I’ll make you some tea and some dinner. Then tomorrow we can spend Christmas together. How does that sound?”</p>
<p>“Are you sure, Gleb? You don’t have Christmas plans or anything?”</p>
<p>“Well, no not this year.”</p>
<p>Gleb didn’t want to tell Anya that he never had Christmas plans since he was a boy. When he had grown into a man, Christmas had never been a priority for him.</p>
<p>“I’ll make you some tea, Anya, and then I’ll run your bath” Gleb said standing up.</p>
<p>“Thank you.”</p>
<p>“Not a problem, not a problem.” Gleb said like it was nothing.</p>
<p>Gleb was frankly worried about Anya. How long had she been homeless? Gleb knew she was poor, (everyone in Leningrad was) but he had always thought she had a place to go home to. Anya did not deserve to be homeless. She deserved home, love, and family, not homelessness.</p>
<p>------------------------------------------------------------</p>
<p>                                     Anya</p>
<p>Gleb had soon enough returned with the tea. It had been so long since Anya had tea, and it tasted heavenly.</p>
<p>“Uh, I’ll just go run your bath now and get you some spare clothes to wear.” Gleb said awkwardly. “Are you warm enough?”</p>
<p>“Yes, Gleb” Anya lied.</p>
<p>“Well uh that’s good. Just keep drinking that tea and don’t move.”</p>
<p>When Gleb left the room she allowed herself to shiver a bit more. The truth was, she had never been this cold before. It was quite odd though, she had been in much worse situations than one of this. The tea had warmed her insides, but she was still freezing on the outside, even under all the blankets.</p>
<p>Gleb had soon arrived back into the room.</p>
<p>“Your bath is ready, Anya. Here, I’ll help you towards the bathroom” Gleb said gently, helping Anya stand up.</p>
<p>Anya felt so weak standing up. She felt so lightheaded. So dizzy. So cold. The exhaustion and frost had clearly hit her.</p>
<p>“Anya, are you okay?” Gleb asked worriedly.</p>
<p>Anya didn’t respond. </p>
<p>“It’s alright, Anya. I’ll just carry you.”</p>
<p>Gleb swooped up Anya in his arms.</p>
<p>Anya blushed embarrassingly. God, why couldn’t she stand up on her own! Gleb must’ve thought she was so weak and useless.</p>
<p>They soon made it into the bathroom, and Gleb set Anya down onto the tile floor.</p>
<p>“Your clothes are on the counter, and the soap should be there too” Gleb said.</p>
<p>Anya looked overwhelmed. It had been forever since she had a bath in a real bathtub.</p>
<p>“Do you need any help with anything, Anya?”</p>
<p>“No Gleb, I should be fine. Thank you.”</p>
<p>“Well, just holler if you need anything. I’ll be in the next room heating up your soup” Gleb said, shutting the door behind him to give Anya some privacy.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Anya carefully stood up to take off her wet, cold clothes. She looked into the mirror to reveal someone she didn’t even recognize. She had gotten much skinnier, and her skin much paler as well. She didn’t like what she saw. She wanted to be beautiful, like the prostitutes she saw on the streets, but she would never be one of them. And she would never be beautiful either.</p>
<p>------------------------------------------------------------</p>
<p>                                    Gleb</p>
<p>Gleb didn’t know exactly what Anya liked to eat. She had to be starving though, so he assumed he would like anything he made her. He decided on heating up some leftover chicken noodle soup when he heard something coming from the bathroom. Was that Anya? Crying?</p>
<p>Gleb walked hurriedly towards the bathroom door and knocked gently.</p>
<p>“Anya, are you alright?”</p>
<p>There was no answer to be heard.</p>
<p>“Anya, please tell me if you’re alright.”</p>
<p>Her cries were going steady now.</p>
<p>“Anya, I’m coming in. I’ll try not to look at you.”</p>
<p>Gleb walked in and saw Anya sobbing, with her knees to her chest on the bathroom floor. Undressed.</p>
<p>“Anya, what’s wrong? Was the water too hot?” Gleb asked stupidly.</p>
<p>“N-no Gleb.” Anya said, still crying, slightly looking up. “It's just that I shouldn’t be here, Gleb. I d-didn’t want to bother you on Christmas and now you have to take c-care of me. I’m such a burden.”</p>
<p>Anya was sobbing hard now.</p>
<p>Gleb grabbed a towel and draped it over her body.</p>
<p>“You’re not a burden, Anya. In fact I’m actually glad you’re here. If you weren’t here right now I would probably be sulking off in my room” He laughed.</p>
<p>Gleb soon felt the heat radiating off of her. It wasn’t from the bath (she hadn’t even stepped in it), but a fever. </p>
<p>“Anya, I think you have a fever.” Gleb said, bringing his hand to her forehead.</p>
<p>“Oh no, I do?” Anya asked worriedly. “But I’m so cold…”</p>
<p>“I know, Anya” Gleb sighed. “It’s just your body’s response to the fever. Why don’t you get in the bath, and then you can eat some food and go to bed.”</p>
<p>“Okay,” Anya mumbled.</p>
<p>“I’ll be right outside the door if you need anything” Gleb said, stepping out for the second time. “I’ll be right out here.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p> -----------------------------------------------------------</p>
<p>                                            Anya</p>
<p>Gleb had been so kind. Too kind. Gleb probably just felt pity for Anya. Just wanted the person to step in and save the day. But Anya was the one who went to Gleb’s flat so she couldn’t really argue there. Gleb must’ve cared enough to run a bath for her. To make her tea and dinner. To comfort her while crying. To allow her to stay the night in this warm flat.</p>
<p>Anya quickly remembered the bath and stepped in. It was amazingly wonderful. She couldn’t remember the last time she had a hot bath. The hot and water had eased her tense muscles and allowed her to relax more.</p>
<p>After about 20 minutes, Anya had finished washing her body and hair and stepped out of the bath. She dried herself off with the towel and picked up Gleb’s spare clothes. In her hands was a pair of plaid pajama pants (that were probably much too big for Anya) and a simple white shirt. She silently laughed, wondering if Gleb had known what girls would usually wear to bed.</p>
<p>------------------------------------------------------------</p>
<p>                                      Gleb</p>
<p>Gleb was even more worried now. Anya had a fever. He had hoped that wouldn’t have happened. He silently paced around his flat, growing more and more worried every minute longer Anya was in the bathroom. After a few minutes Anya had finally come out. She still looked very pale, but better than before.</p>
<p>“Oh, Anya let me help you.” Gleb said, rushing over to Anya’s side, guiding her to the sofa. Anya gave him a smile in return. </p>
<p>“Is that soup I smell?” Anya said happily.</p>
<p>“Yes, Yes it is.” Gleb said laughing. “Sit down and I’ll bring it over to you.”</p>
<p>Anya sat just as she was told, much obliged to finally have a warm meal for the first time in forever.</p>
<p>Gleb returned with the soup, giving the bowl to Anya.</p>
<p>“Oh Thank you, Gleb. The soup looks delicious.” Anya smiled.</p>
<p>“You’re very welcome, Anya. I’m glad you like it.” Gleb said. “Um so how are you feeling?”</p>
<p>“Better, I suppose. I think the warm bath helped.” Anya said, taking a sip of her soup.</p>
<p>“Are you still cold?”</p>
<p>“Well yes, but like I said before I’m not as cold as before.”</p>
<p>“Ah, well that's good.” Gleb draped an extra blanket over her shoulders for good measure, and pressed his hand to her forehead.</p>
<p>“Well you still have a fever, Anya, but that’s expected. It should be gone in a week or less.” He said smartly.</p>
<p>“Oh.” was all Anya said. “I was thinking I should go back to work soon.”</p>
<p>“No, Anya. You mustn’t go back to work until your fever’s down. It could be dangerous” Gleb said, soon remembering something. “You can stay here as long as you need, Anya. I wouldn’t mind the company, especially over the holidays.”</p>
<p>“Are you sure, Gleb?” Anya said, drowning the rest of her soup. “I wouldn’t want to overstay my welcome.”</p>
<p>“Of course. Besides I can’t let you go back out in that cold with a fever like yours.” Gleb laughed. “Are you done with your soup?”</p>
<p>“Yes, I am. It tasted wonderful, Gleb. Thank you.”</p>
<p>“No problem, Anya.” Gleb said. “Oh and you can take my bed for tonight and I’ll take the sofa.”</p>
<p>“No, Gleb. I couldn’t take your bed. I would be fine sleeping on the sofa.”</p>
<p>“Anya, you’re sick and you have a fever. You need to be comfortable and it really isn’t a problem.”</p>
<p>“Fine.” Anya said, slightly mad.<br/>------------------------------------------------------------</p>
<p>                                 Anya</p>
<p>They soon made their way to Gleb’s bedroom, with Anya in Gleb’s arms because of how tired she was. He laid her down onto his bed and pulled the covers up to her chest. Gleb soon turned to leave, thinking Anya was asleep, but Anya stopped him.</p>
<p>“Gleb, stay with me.” Anya loved Gleb, even if she hadn’t admitted that to him yet. She didn’t want to have sex with him, she just wanted to have someone to be next to. Someone to comfort her if she had a nightmare. Someone to hold her as if she was his own.</p>
<p>“No, Anya. I couldn’t.”</p>
<p>“Please, Gleb. I don’t want to do anything. I just want someone to hold me. I might not ever get this chance again.”</p>
<p>Gleb finally obliged and got into the bed. He did what was asked of him, and wrapped his arms around Anya. He seemed to relax more.</p>
<p>“Is this alright?” He whispered.</p>
<p>“Of course it is.” She whispered back. She had never been this happy in her life, despite her being sick. She had finally found home, love, and family, even if it wasn’t in Paris.</p>
<p>“Merry Christmas, Gleb.” She whispered</p>
<p>“Merry Christmas, Anya.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank y’all so much for reading! I had originally planned on adding a second chapter where they spent Christmas Day together but time got the best of me. Maybe one day I’ll write another one but we’ll see lol. Hope you guys have a good Christmas!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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